Import-export businesses happy with budget allocations for ports and roads
Road builders work on the 6km Changamwe Roundabout–Airport road in Mombasa on June 8. Investors have praised budget allocations for road construction in the county. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Key interested parties call for austerity in use of money set aside for mega projects.
The import and export businesses have praised the Budget allocations for ports and roads but called for better utilisation of the money.
The region’s infrastructure gained a lot in the national Budget estimates released on Wednesday with expansion of key business expected to spur development.
From the Port of Mombasa, East and Central Africa’s busiest seaport, to Lamu port, airports to highways and low-volume roads, the region will immensely benefit from the budgetary allocation announced by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich.
Association of Importers of Kenya chairman Peter Mambembe said the funds will improve services but there was a need for more austerity measures.
“We welcome the development of infrastructure but the government needs to ensure cartels at the port are eliminated to improve efficiency,” said Mr Mambembe.
Mr Rotich also announced that, to boost trade between Kenya and its neighbours, the government will give prioity to the construction of roads that includes the Voi-Mwatate-Wundanyi and Malindi-Mombasa-Lunga Lunga roads.
Malindi Airport will get a share of the Sh500 million allocated for Isiolo and Lokichogio airports and Suneka airstrip, said the CS, while Ikanga airstrip in Taita-Taveta County will be rehabilitated. “I have allocated Sh5.5 billion for the Mombasa port development project, financed by development partners, and a further Sh500,000 million for acquisition of two ferries for the Likoni channel,” said the CS.
The ongoing Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) was allocated Sh10 billion.
Mr Rotich said construction of the standard gauge railway from Mombasa to Nairobi, which is over 80 per cent complete, will boost the economies of communities in its precincts and create jobs.
“Through this rail project, there will be developments of industrial parks along the rail line at Dongo Kundu in Mombasa, Voi, Mtito Andei, Nairobi and Naivasha that will boost our manufacturing and its contribution to GDP and create jobs,” he said.
